Shkoder

Shkodër is also known as Scutari or Scodra. The county of Shkodër is one of 12 constituent counties of the Albanian republic. The city is one of the most ancient cities in the Balkans and the fourth most populous city in the country. It exerts strong influences in culture, arts, religion, and entertainment of northern Albania.

Geographically, the city of Shkodër sprawls across the Mbishkodra plain between the freshwater marshlands of Lake Shkodër and the foothills of the Albanian Alps. Like most of the Dinaric Alps, the mountains are dominated by limestone and dolomite rocks. The lake, named after the city of Shkodër, is the largest lake in Southern Europe close to the Adriatic Sea. The city is surrounded on three sides by the rivers Kir in the east, Drin in the south, and Buna in the west.

The region that today corresponds to the city territory was founded in the 4th century BC by the ancient Illyrian tribes of the Ardiaei and Labeates. It is evidenced by the artifacts and inscriptions that were discovered in the Rozafa Castle. 

If you are traveling to Shkoder county, keep in mind to visit the castle of the city, Franciscan church Ndre Mjeda, the Cathedral of Saint Stefan, the Historical Museum of Shkoder, and the monument of Mother Teresa and Mes bridge